rose callaghan: interview

As part of Melbourne International Comedy Festival, Rose Callaghan (comedian, MC,  internet troll) is returning to the stage in Rose Callaghan and Mates 2: Return of the Mates. After a fantastic set of sold-out shows for her collaborative performance of Rose Callaghan and Mates at lasts year’s MICF, Rose is back with more fresh jokes and a line-up of comedians that’s sure to make you Laugh Out Loud.

In the lead-up to the opening of Return of the Mates, running from 6th April-18th April at Hugs and Kisses in Melbourne, I caught up with Rose and asked her about just what we can except from this second round of hilarious acts and anecdotes.

Tell me about the success of your show “Rose Callaghan and Mates” at last year’s MICF?

Hahahaha “success” I don’t know how to answer that. Last year was a lot of fun – I had some awesome guests from all over, like Joel Creasey, Tom Ballard, Kate McLennan and Josh Earl.

Since then I have gone viral on the internet because of a bin fire that I filmed and put on youtube and I’ve been in a Ford ad so hopefully this year is even better.

What is going to be new and different about Return of the Mates?

11 months is a long amount of time to make a lot of bad life decisions and go on a lot more terrible internet dates, so there’s that.

I’m going to have some new guests and some returning guests but all the jokes are 100% fresh, new and tasty or your money back (no money back).

How long have you been a comedian and what doing you enjoy most about it?

I have been a comedian for 2 years and I think it’s the best. I really enjoy the craft of writing jokes and the feeling you get when they work on-stage. It’s a super enjoyable format.

Plus all the dick.

What is it like to be a female comedian in an industry that’s mostly male-dominated?

A lot is said in the media about Females in Comedy.

I’m kind of sick of talking about it BUT I CAN’T HELP MYSELF.

The criticism usually comes from people outside the industry and that dumb journalist who writes the annual “are women funny” op-ed. That person can get fucked. On a day to day perspective we all just get out there and tell our silly little jokes just like everyone else. Female comedians often have a fresh perspective on topics that have already been done to death by male comedians just because there is way more than them, so in that way it is an advantage. You do have to listen to the odd bad taste misogynistic  joke here and there but usually these are done by brand new young male comedians who will usually either:

A)  Realise the error of their ways and sort their shit out, or

B) Realise they suck and disappear into the ether never to be seen again

IMO the lack of women in comedy is down to a few factors. One of the big ones has to do with “the confidence gap” that women have generally. I often talk to women who want to do stand-up but are pedantic perfectionists about their material because they don’t want to be seen to fail (“oh I need to write more before I get onstage”, “I wouldn’t be good at it”,“I need to be READY”). The fact is you will never be ready and you have to be shit before you get good so just bloody get on stage and say something. No matter what it is, you’ll be super stoked on yourself. YOLO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I think some ladies can be a bit scared of the “bro-ey” male culture of stand-up. Don’t worry they’re not all like that. There are some real wussy male comedians as well.

If you want to do stand-up and have questions/want someone to tell you to stop being stupid and do it – hit me up on the twits: @operation_rosie

What inspires you to do new routines and to make new jokes?

Dumb stuff that I do to myself in my life. Dumb stuff that other people do. Memes, Facebook, boys, girls, bin fires, Bacardi breezers, inequality, rap music, internet dating and just generally being a silly goose.

What was the biggest challenge in becoming a comedian and performer?

Doing my first gig.

THANKS GUYS PLS COME TO MY SHOW